Venice of the North: Stockholm. September 19, 2015. FullSizeRender 34. The day after our wedding, Frederick and I were on our way to start the best trip of our lives- the HONEYMOON! Through out two weeks, we visited Stockholm, Paris, …

Stockholm, capital of Sweden, is a perfect destination for a city-break in the middle of summer, offering the charm of a city full of history, but that vibrates the latest fashion of fun.

The idea had a baby, not me, although I have great lover of travel and record in about 60 countries visited. “I want to see where they give the Nobel Prize,” she said after more than a year, and acknowledge that his desire made me whine. Obviously mentally, because you can not destroy the dream of a child. I had been in Finland and Denmark and other Nordic countries the idea of ​​not drawing me greatly, for reasons well known: high prices and erratic weather. Yet Tarom offer in February, I found myself out. The day national company sold 99 tickets to all destinations euros, tourists flocked to buy the most popular routes, Dubai, Barcelona, ​​London, Paris , Athens. Nobody rushed to Stockholm, so I got two tickets in less than ten minutes, during which time I have had documented about the best period that can be visited Stockholm. So I chose the end of June, sealing the trip as a reward provided at the end of a school year very good.

On the months that followed I sought a decent accommodation and I regularly irritated noting the high prices of hotel rooms in Swedish. Eventually I was reconciled to the idea that less than 100 euros per night you can stay at hostels with shared bathroom just so I booked a room at a four star hotel. The cancellation option, in case I find something like last minutes, at a price ok. What happened with an offer at Radisson Park Inn Hotel in Solna (Stockholm district). By booking, non-refundable. Those who want to visit the capital of Sweden warmly recommend them to flee accommodations in the center. They are extremely expensive and not worth the money at all. Stockholm is one of the best transport systems in the world and in every corner of the city get the center in 25 minutes maximum. With metro, tram or bus. I will return to this issue.

So, after four months of waiting, the sometimes forgotten if we have to go to Stockholm, came the big day. Tarom Flight impeccable, Bucharest – Stockholm, starting Thursday 8.40 pm, the flight 2 hours and 25 minutes, landing at Arlanda airport, the largest in the city at 10.05 local time (Sweden is an hour behind us). From the airport located 40 kilomteri city there are many options to get to the center. The fastest is the high-speed train that in 20 minutes you settle on T-Centralen platform, the core city. Price 230 SEK (115 million). Expensive! A second variant are some Flygbussarna buses or Swebus, where a ticket costs 100 SEK (50 million). Quite expensive. Alternatively taxi that takes you somewhere around 500 SEK (250 million). Damn expensive! The best opportunity is transportation, provided by a Stockholm card, which is sold in 48 hours (795SEK), 72 hours (895 SEK) or 120 hours (1150 SEK). For children 6 to 17 years, there are special cards with a reduction of over 50 percent. These cards provide free transport on all public transport plus entry to 80 museums and attractions in the city. He deserves, because you see that Stockholm is a very expensive city.

Avoid traveling tickets Without a wrench we got from the tourist office at the airport two cards in three days, they perfectly pliindu traveling. I say parenthetically and not TAROM flies daily to Stockholm, but only four times a week (Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday). The best choice is to combine on Thursday (departure) – Sunday (return). It’s time to see what is worth seeing in Stockholm. Returning to the cards for one adult and one child I paid 1280 SEK (640 million). With them in the pocket I took bus 583 from Terminal 5 (exactly where exit) to Marsta station (17 minutes walk). Then from there I boarded the train 36, which goes to T Centralen (Central Station) in about 45 minutes. I have not needed to get there, and went a few stops before where we had hotel. If you do not want to take these cards Stockholm, there are flights a day, two, three or a week at reasonable prices. Excluded taking tickets for a single journey, as they are very expensive (around 4 euros). There is a train that goes directly from the airport to the city, but he pays a supplement of 85 SEK money you can save with a free fifteen minutes by bus.

Stockholm has 1.4 million people in urban, metropolitan area comprising 2.2 million people. Transport to second Even in Japan, known for precision train, I saw a transport system as effective as in Sweden. The train, metro, bus and tram travels to second electronic display signs are in every station, showing all the stations on the route, and the Ministry of Transport website there is a program where you only have to pass the place where you want you go and where you’re going. In seconds you’re given route, the vehicle on which it must take, the time comes to make as intended primary destinations where and when to change, if any, and and how much it costs the journey to the destination. It’s virtually impossible not to handle, especially that of the English version. The means of transport circulating 24 of 24 hours and subway stations are works of art, painted in different themes.

City museums and Nobel prizes Stockholm is a beautiful city that can be discovered step by step easy. It is situated on 14 islands connected by bridges and that is why it is called Venice of the North. Summer is light about 20 hours. It’s getting dark at 23.00, and if you want to catch the sunrise at 3 should be standing. There are so-called white nights, typical northern European countries. Winter, however, is mourning. The four allegedly afternoon as dark. Heart of the city is the Old Town, the former city called Gamla Stan. It is easily reached by subway from anywhere in the city. Mostly it’s a pedestrian area, with cobbled streets, the restaurants, who take out a row of tables mix with souvenir shops that sell specific. In Gamla Stan’s Royal Palace, where Carl XVI Gustaf (King since 1973) receives his guests, the Nobel Museum, Armouries museum, church Storkyran. All are worth seeing. The ticket is generally about 50 lei (current prices can find on sites institutions). The Stockholm Card entry is free. In Sweden see many religious institutions, the Swedes are the most atheistic nation’s 90 percent of them saying he did not believe in God. Therefore probably over 6,000 churches can pray in about 500, the rest being closed.

At one end of Gamla Stan’s harbor promenade, an area where luxury boats anchored, stuck right in front of restaurants, in case expect customers able to pay 30 lei per 330 ml beer. Speaking of beer sold in Sweden than in versions 3.5 percent alcohol. If you want a normal, with 5% alcohol, like us, live with her at home. Prices terraces are prohibitive for a touristpocket honest. Frankly, a beer with 2.8% alcohol at 30 lei each, a drink with knots. Plus you need to take into account a possible visit to the toilet, where it does not get anywhere for free, but if you pay between 5 and 10 lei. Locals afford because most of them earn more than 5,000 euros per month. As a detail of notice is the fact that everywhere can pay by card. In four days I have not changed any money and I paid just so. It is even easier and more advantageous, because at exchange fees apply some bold.

Because the original purpose of the trip was the desire of discovering Nobel boy, a little insist on CEST chapter. Alfred Nobel is the one who gave the name of the most coveted in the world, which is awarded annually on December 10, in Stockholm in the areas physics, chemistry, medicine, literature and economics. The Peace is awarded in Oslo. Nobel (1833 -1896) was Swedish chemist, engineer and inventor of dynamite and gave the world. About 300 inventions, but that was the coolest. It was destroyed in 63 years, in Italy, in San Remo, and it had no wife or children to quarrel over inheritance left his foundation an impressive wealth of payable annual Nobel prizes now. Museum dedicated to the story of his life, but also the winners of 1901 awards are granted.

Home to the band ABBA From Gamla Stan leaves and most important commercial artery of the city, Drottingen, surrounded by shops. Swedish brand H & M (Hennes & Mauritz), the third retailer worldwide in clothing after Americans from Gap and Spanish from Inditex (Zara, Berskha, Pull and Bear, Stradivarius, etc.) is omni present, with products that are not in Romania. H & M does not have exorbitant prices, targeting the middle class, but even so are quite pretty big compared to our pocket. But Stockholm is not a shopping destination. This is one of the last things I would recommend the Swedish capital, where a refrigerator magnet costs about 5 euros. “Venice of the North” offers many other things. First many museums, among which mention Vasa (museum that houses a ship recovered from the seabed in its natural form), Skansen (a kind of Scandinavian housing village museum and a zoo with animals in the area), Museum ABBA museum dedicated to the famous Swedish band Weapons. There are others, sufficient in number.

The saw is Opera, which is awarded Nobel Prizes, the blue room, Town Hall, TV Tower and Ericsson Globe, the top of which you can climb using a sphere that goes on outside wall of the building. Not to be missed any cruise on the canals of the city or a stroll through the Royal Park, on the island of Djurgarden, a green oasis in the middle that can give nose to nose with rabbits, ducks, geese and even deer. For lovers of thrills is Gruna Land, an amusement park that can satisfy any excess adrenlină. Vasa, Skansen Museum ABBA, Gruna Land and Royal Park are on the same island, which is reachable by tram in July, with several bus or ferry.

Zlatan SHIRT IN ALL boutiques The Swedes are a nation with very kind people, speaking impeccable English speakers (nowhere I heard a clearer English and understandably) very people who make sport and enjoying life with a smile. They have what I heard because there genuine Swedish poor salaries and pensions system offering thousands of euros. In the evenings, the bars and restaurants are full, and high fashion are rented yacht parties, which hold the port even under the prying eyes of the shore, which can admire the tall blonde, eyes slim-fitting men’s suits, though the crop commercials. Inevitably, all take a glass of champagne in hand. In Stockholm but the landscape is highly cosmopolitan and no longer dominated by old blue-eyed blondes. Sweden receives annually thousands of IMIG from all over the world and blacks, Asians and Arabs were easily integrated into society. The largest communities are Iraqis and Iranians, but there are many Poles, Somalia, Chileans, Turks, Germans and serbs.All souvenir shops selling T-shirts with Zlatan Ibrahimovic, national football star and one of the best strikers in the world , also a symbol of immigrants. Zlatan is born in Sweden in Malmo, but his family comes from the former Yugoslavia, and currently is the number one man in sport.

Attention to the weather and schedule Although summer is light until the sun rises later and earlier, does not mean that work on broken swedish. Most museums close at 17.00, at the latest 18.00. Stores closed their window shutters during the week at 20.00 (including malls), Saturday at 18.00 and Sunday at 17.00. Tourists need to be careful and time, which is quite changeable. In summer, the temperature is 20-25 degrees, but the wind usually blows one one pretty cool. Suddenly rain can occur, but most are transient, and then exits and the sun. It is recommended that the baggage you have a jacket, a shirt and a thicker caps.

Expensive food and fast food As I said life in Stockholm is expensive. A meal at the restaurant is not available to every tourist, reaching for one person to 80-100 lei. Fas-food version it is neither very cheap menu at McDonalds or Burger King costing about 40 lei. In scheduling a trip consider a bed and breakfast. The Norse are the inventors of Swedish buffet, Smorgasbord, in the name of the original, which I launched in 1939 in New York, and the Americans have spread worldwide. Any sensible hotel offers a hearty morning meal, you can sustain half a day easily. Then, if you want a typical Swedish meal at a price you can eat buffet OK IKEA salmon with potatoes, meatballs and other delicacies. IKEA, the Swedish brand’s it, it has headquarters in the center, but from T Centralen there are buses that take you Kungens free, where is the closest store. Try to avoid small shops in the center, because they are expensive.

There is not one thing that I liked Stockholm, even grieved me completely. I think there is metro station in the center, that is not guarded by at least ten characters long skirts, begging. Unfortunately, they speak Romanian, when they do not do their dialect. The script is the same. A glass in one hand and a picture coin on the other hand, they appear alongside five six kids, in which it posted a message in English. I had the curiosity to read, but their presence has left me with a bitter taste and do not understand how the city authorities tolerate their presence in major tourist areas, where otherwise everything is shining clean and tidy.

If you have several days to take advantage of them by boat trips to Helsinki (Finland), St. Petersburg (Russia visa -I), Tallinn (Estonia) and Riga (Latvia). there are plenty of companies offering quality service that’s right prices to match. also can be easily reached from Stockholm to Copenhagen (Denmark) and Oslo (Norway), destination located about five hours by train or car.